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About us

The Classical Group was founded in 2016 by Dr Sylvia Chan, who grew up in Hong Kong and the United Kingdom a prize-winning pianist, soprano and chamber musician and is returning to the performing stage after spending more than 15 years away from it building a corporate and investment career.

The Group has a small vocal ensemble named Classical Singers bringing together a select group of working professionals from all walks of life – finance, business, medicine and others – many of whom have been part of the school choir singing tradition when growing up and have continued to sing as an adult, bringing together experience from long-time music training and international as much as local performing.

We were inspired by the idea of creating a new musical group to share beautiful music and the spirit of creating something together, and also to spread the spirit of always trying to be better, generating new thinking, and to keep learning. We also want to sing music of every genre, from classical to modern to musicals.

The group had a successful first public performance at St John’s Cathedral in Hong Kong in the summer of 2016, operating as an 8-part, mixed-voice ensemble and presenting works by Mozart, Saint-Saëns, Fauré and Brahms, also giving the Hong Kong first performance of an 8-part a cappella piece by Ēriks Ešenvalds, “Only in sleep”. In 2017, the group was invited to perform at a concert at the Academy of Performing Arts appearing with artists including Warren Lee, Caleb Woo and Tanya Bannister, and held its own first full concert in Asia Society in September with the Ping Ting Piano Duo as guests.

By calling ourselves The Classical Singers, we wish to represent exemplary standards. We are also mostly classically trained (though we will also sing some musicals and transcriptions). Overall, our name reflects the value of discovering and rediscovering music of exceptional quality and singing them with exemplary musicality, intelligence and freshness, and a sheer joy in the music-making.

Mr Jimmy F.S. Chan, one of Hong Kong’s most respected baritones and a highly successful vocal teacher and choral conductor, is our Advisor.

We have a 3-person Organising Committee presently served by Dr Sylvia Chan together with Ms Florence Chang and Mr Vincent Leung.

We are registered and classified as a “charitable institution” and is tax exempt under s.88 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance of Hong Kong.